Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Research Articles

Spark Discharge Aerosol-Generated Copper-Based Nanoparticles: Structural & Optical Properties; Application on the Antiviral (SARS-CoV-2) and Antibacterial Improvement of Face Masks.

Nanoparticle formation by Spark Discharge Aerosol Generation offers low-cost fabrication of nanoparticles, without the use of chemicals or vacuum. It produces aerosol particles of a few nanometers in size with high purity. In this work, copper-based -CuO (tenorite) and Cu- nanoparticles are produced, characterized and used to modify face mask air filters, achieving the introduction of antibacterial and antiviral properties. A range of characterization techniques have been employed, down to the atomic level. The majority of the particles are CuO (of a few nanometers in size that agglomerate to form aggregates), the remainder being a small number of larger Cu particles. The particles were deposited on various substrates, mainly fiber filters in order to study them and use them as biocidal agents. On face masks, their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E.coli) results in a 100 % decrease in bacteria cell viability. Their antiviral activity on face masks results in a 90 % reduction of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viability, 15 minutes post the application of the virus stock solution. This highlights the effectiveness of this approach, its simplicity, its low cost and its excellent environmental credentials.

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio on Admission to Predict Mortality of COVID-19 Elderly Patients

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus Disease-2 (SARS-COV-2) is the cause of COVID-19, which led to a global pandemic and high mortality rate, especially in elderly patients. The declining immune system in elderly patients and comorbid diseases lead to more severe symptoms and an increased mortality rate. Many studies have shown that a high Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) value can predict the severity and mortality of COVID-19. However, studies on NLR in elderly patients in Indonesia have rarely been conducted. This study aimed to determine the role of NLR on admission as a mortality predictor in COVID-19 elderly patients who underwent in-hospital treatment. This research is an analytical observational study with a retrospective cohort method conducted in Bethesda Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The research subjects were selected from July 2020 to October 2021 according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were all elderly COVID-19 patients with an age limit of > 60 years old who had complete hemogram data on admission, demographic data, diagnostic criteria, types of comorbid diseases, and patient outcomes (survivor or non-survivor). The exclusion criteria were elderly COVID-19 patients with incomplete Electronic Medical Records (EMR). This study found 122 elderly patients with COVID-19 with a mortality rate of 30.33%. The result showed that NLR on admission significantly increased significantly in the non-survivor group compared to the survivor group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis presented severity (RR: 5.181; CI 1.662-16.154; p=0.005), comorbid diabetes mellitus (RR: 2.829; CI: 1.115-7.178), NLR > 6.04 (RR: 6.356; CI: 2.428-16.639) and other comorbid, namely thyroid, autoimmune, cancer, and anemia (RR: 15.836; CI: 1.841-136.234; p=0.012) as factors of mortality in hospitalized elderly patients.

In-vitro studies of relative intracellular alterations caused by three variants of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)

BACKGROUND: The comparative understanding between cellular basis of transmission and clinical severities caused by Wuhan, Delta and Omicron strains of SARS-CoV-2 is important. OBJECTIVE: To conduct In-Vitro studies on cellular infection caused by different variants by performing cytotoxic assays and studying the live microscopic observations. METHODS: The swab samples positive for Wuhan, Delta and Omicron strains were inoculated in the Vero cell lines and their rate of infectivity and nature of cytopathy was observed. RESULTS: The study showed maximum inter cellular connectivity among cells infected by Delta variant, followed by Wuhan and least inter cellular connections in the cells infected by Omicron variant. The Delta strain causing highest mortality as per reported epidemiological trends, showed highest inter cellular connections and maximum cell damage supporting the fastest cell to cell spread of infection and causing most mortality among patients. CONCLUSIONS: The paper reports that numerous inter cellular connections is the cause of spread of infection among cells and maximum cell damage as the cause of clinical severities. The paper sensitizes the issue that 52 subunit of viral Spike Protein could act as fusion enzyme causing the numerous inter cellular connections. Study suggests that the S2 subunit of the viral Spike Protein could be the drug target for therapeutic intervention.

Serosurveillance of COVID-19 amongst health care workers in a teaching institution – A prospective cohort study in Puducherry district

ABSTRACT Introduction: The rapid spread and mutation rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV2) demands continuous monitoring in terms of genomic and serosurvival. The current study is designed to track the seroprevalence of health care workers (HCWs) postvaccination, as they may be more susceptible to contracting the SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to the general population. Objective: The objective was to identify the seroprevalence rate for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody (N, S1, S2) amongst HCWs of various levels of exposure working in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Puducherry. Materials and Methods: The present study followed a nonprobability consecutive sampling technique, which involved 216 study participants HCWs from the hospital. IgG antibody levels were measured using EUROIMMUNE Anti SARS-COV-2 ELISA KIT (IG g) ELISA at two points: firstly, 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccination, followed by 2 weeks after the booster dose. Results: Out of the total 216 participants enrolled in the survey, there were 140 males and 76 females, and the maximum number of candidates studied were in the 41–50 age group. Almost 46.7% of the HCWs who participated in the study were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 in the case of those who were high-risk exposed, while only 30.4% were amongst those who were low-risk exposed. The proportion of study participants who became seropositive increased considerably after the booster dose (65.7%), from 38.0% when tested three months after infection. Conclusion: A significant increase in antibody titres amongst high-risk HCWs postboost vaccination demands continuous monitoring of soluble IgG levels for recommendations of vaccination schedules.

In silico identification of approved drugs for potential prophylactic uses against SARS-CoV-2 infection

The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) constitute a major public health threat and economic burden. Despite the multifold research all over the world. COVID-19 has remained without a treatment. Hence, the urgent need to repurpose the FDA-approved drugs through in silico computational technique to identify inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2. Bioinformatics techniques were used to screen 2015 FDA- approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2 proteins and associated human protein, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to identify drug for new indication. The ligands were downloaded from Selleckchem drug data bank in SDF format. Open Babel was used to separate the ligands into their compounds and prepared for docking simulation using shell script and saved as PDBQT. Experimental crystal structures of the receptors (ACE2 and Spike proteins) were retrieved from Protein Data Bank (PDB), Autodock tools was used to prepare the proteins and saved as PDBQT files. Docking protocols were validated, molecular docking simulations were performed on a Linux platform using AutoDock Vina in quadruplicate. The binding energies (BEs) kcal/mol were calculated and expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Discovery studio was used for visualization. Density Functional Theory (DFT) was used to determine the predictive maximal inhibitory concentration (pIC50) of best hits. Ninety-one (91) new hits were identified for prophylaxis. Four (4) compounds were subjected to DFT based IC50 calculation with molnupiravir as a reference compound. Significantly, calculated IC50 of molnupiravir in Vero cells and Calu-3 were 0.299 and 0.008µM respectively while the experimental IC50 in Vero cells and Calu-3 as reported in literature were 0.3 and 0.08 µM respectively. The newly identified hits are promising therapeutic agents and there is no significant difference between the experimental IC50 of molnupiravir and the calculated IC50.

Inhibition of SARS CoV 2 using Microbial Metabolites derived from Tannin Rich Fruit Kernels

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV2) is a highly pathogenic RNA virus. Inhibition of SARS CoV 2 by molecular docking using the microbial metabolites of tannin rich fruit kernels of Punica granatum, Mangifera indica, Phyllanthus emblica and Syzygium cumini produced using a probiotic bacterium Bacillus coagulans. SARS CoV2 uses its spike proteins to inhibit the viral entry and uses main protease and chymotrypsin like protease to inhibit protein transcription, translation, maturation and replication. The accelerated immune response which is cytokine storm, can be managed by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Excess of tissue deposition on the lung causing fibrosis can be treated by inhibiting the fibrotic pathological pathway targeting the G coupled receptor protein mediator 40 and 84 (GPR40 and GPR84) to prevent fibroblast. “Autodocking of metabolites extracted from kernel Punica granatum and Mangifera indica results in identifying 1H-Purin-6-amine, [(2-fluorophenyl) methyl] and tricarbonyl (N-cyclopent-2-en-1-yl-N-phe nyl-1-4-.eta.-cyclohexa-1,3-dienecarboxamide)iron of which 1H-Purin-6-amine, [(2-fluorophenyl)methyl] or 6-(3-fluorobenzylamino) purine appears to be very effective against SARS CoV-2 inflammation and fibrosis as evidenced by molecular docking. The role of probiotic bacteria in the synthesis of bioactive metabolites is established as very significant.

The safety, quality evaluation, and lot release of COVID-19 vaccines imported and used in Nigeria from march 2021 to march 2022

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona 2 Virus (SARS-COV-2 Virus) was a major global health crisis that resulted in severe illness and death around the globe. The swift development of effective vaccines against the disease to mitigate severe illness and death was one of the greatest public health scientific achievements. Most of these vaccines required cold storage and were exported to many developing countries with resource limitations to verify the quality of these products. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulates the quality of vaccines imported into Nigeria. This study provides summaries of data collected and QC measures conducted on all the COVID-19 vaccines imported into Nigeria within 2021–2022. Cold-chain parameters and other data requirements for meeting international standards for assessing the quality of vaccines were conducted in ISO17025-accredited laboratories of the Nigerian FDA. QC tests used to assess the safety of the products included tests for sterility, bacterial endotoxin, abnormal toxicity, pH, Physical appearance, extractable volumes, protein tests, and DNA: protein ratios. The products yielded satisfactory compliance, however, there were unsatisfactory sterility and protein test results for two batches of the samples tested. There are additional non-QC regulatory measures employed by NAFDAC to ensure the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, including supply chain management. Out of ninety-five batches of different COVID-19 vaccines evaluated, 95.5% passed sterility testing. There is a 100% pass of all the vaccines for the Bacteria Endotoxin Test while an 80% pass was observed for the protein content.

SARS-CoV-2 inactivation by supercritical carbon dioxide coupled with hydrogen peroxide

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for innovative decontamination techniques capable of treating sensitive materials potentially contaminated. Combining supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) with sterilant agents has shown promise in this regard. This study aimed at testing scCO2 as a virus inactivation method for biomedical materials contaminated with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was inoculated on a stainless-steel carrier and treated at 45 °C and 8 MPa. No inactivation was detected when only scCO2 was used, even after long treatment times (60 min). The addition of 50 ppm of H2O2 to the process allowed the inactivation of more than 5 Log PFU (Plaque Forming Unit) of the virus by only pressurising and depressurising the vessel, while a 20-min process is needed by only using H2O2. Overall, the study demonstrates a synergistic effect when H2O2 is added to the scCO2 process for the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2.

Evaluation of the Progress of Coronavirus Disease-19 Pneumonia using the British Society of Thoracic Imaging Reporting Model: A Validation Study

Abstract: Background: SARS-COV-2 (also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2), emerged as a pandemic and became an overwhelming global concern, causing substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is considered a gold standard in detecting clinically symptomatic patients but can have false negative and false positive results. As chest X-Ray (CXR) is considered as a baseline investigation in many hospitals, BSTI reporting model during COVID-19 pandemic has been a useful tool in diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. Objective: To validate the British Society Thoracic Imaging (BSTI) coding system in the evaluation of the progress of the disease severity in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Materials and Methods: This is a cross sectional observational study. Total 450 CXRs (which included both the baseline and serial CXRs) of 225 COVID positive patients (RT-PCR positive for COVID-19 on nasal swabs) were included. These were retrospectively reviewed and reported by two Radiologists (having experience of at least 5 years in Radiology Reporting) in Corona Ward in Dr. Ruth K M Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan, for the duration of 10 months from 1st March 2020 till 31st December 2020. BSTI coding system was used to classify and interpret the CXR imaging findings as normal, definitive, indeterminate and non-COVID for baseline (CXR on 1st day of admission) and follow up CXRs (done in between 3rd and 7th day of admission). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Numeric data was assessed for distribution using Shapiro-Wilks test. Median and interquartile range (IQR) were reported for numeric variables. Frequencies and percentages were reported for categorical data. Kappa statistics was applied to assess the agreement between BSTI scoring at baseline and follow-up CXRs. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Result: CXRs (including 225 baseline and 225 follow up CXRs) of 225 RT-PCR COVID-19 positive patients were analyzed. Interval change in BSTI coding system was noted, increase in frequency of probable/definitive COVID-19 findings were diagnosed on serial CXRs. The BSTI scoring at baseline and follow-up showed moderate agreement with kappa statistics as 60.3% (p=0.001). Conclusion: BSTI coding system can be helpful to classify the COVID-19 disease on CXR and filter for the prognosis of disease severity in the serial radiographs. Utilization of BSTI reporting model for reporting CXRs, even before RT-PCR, in future COVID pandemic can be considered as a useful tool.

Occupational and Return-To-Work Characteristics of Covid-19 Patients After Treated in Udayana University Hospital

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-COV-2). The COVID-19’s symptoms are fatigue, muscle pain, and psychological disorders. The purpose of this study was to describe the occupational characteristics and health conditions of COVID-19 patients who had recovered after being treated at Udayana University Hospital. This study is a descriptive study with a quantitative method and cross-sectional design. The research samples were 110 COVID-19 patients treated at Udayana University Hospital from June to August 2020 and taken using random sampling. The results showed that the highest proportion of respondents were aged between 24-44 years (44.5%), with almost equal proportions of women (50.1%) and men (49.09%). Most of them lived in Denpasar (46.36%). Most respondents work as private sector employees (24.55%), and 70% of them were using personal protective equipment (PPE) while working. Most respondents needed less than seven days to return to work after being declared “in recovery state” (60%), with the remaining 55.5% having a decreased work duration to be less than 8 hours per day. The proportion of respondents with comorbidities was 30.91%. As many as 27.27% were experiencing previously similar symptoms (fever, fatigue, cough) 4 to 5 months after being declared “cured.” COVID-19 patients who have recovered should be monitored for a longer period of time to evaluate the symptom reoccurrence and its impact on their occupational and health conditions.

Exploring the Correlation Between Splenomegaly and Lung Involvement in COVID-19: A Retrospective Study.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), resulting from the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has not only shown substantial effects on the respiratory system but also on extrapulmonary systems, including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, and immune responses, notably spleen enlargement. The connection between the enlargement of the spleen and pulmonary complications in individuals with COVID-19 is still not well elucidated, with current studies offering divergent conclusions. Objective This study aims to elucidate the correlation between splenomegaly, as assessed by computed tomography (CT) imaging, and the extent of lung involvement (LI) in COVID-19 patients, thereby offering insights into potential prognostic indicators. Methodology A hospital-based, cross-sectional, retrospective study was conductedinvolving 1058 symptomatic COVID-19 patients confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), aged 18 years and above. CT imaging was utilized to evaluate spleen size and LI. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and simple linear regression, were performed to explore the relationship between spleen size and LI. Results The study cohort exhibited a mean spleen size of 9.49 cm and a mean LI score of 0.272. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated at 0.0495, indicating a marginal positive correlation between spleen size and LI. Regression analysis demonstrated a minimal impact of spleen size on LI, with spleen size accounting for only 0.2% of the variance in LI scores. Conclusions The study found a slight, statistically non-significant correlation between splenomegaly and LI in COVID-19 patients, suggesting that while splenic enlargement may reflect systemic disease involvement, it is not a strong independent predictor of lung damage extent. The findings highlight the complexity ofextrapulmonary manifestations and highlight the need for additional research to fully understand the implications of splenic involvement in COVID-19.

Ayush [Indian System of Medicines] Prophylaxis Against COVID-19: A Living Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Second Update).

Background: Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) system of medicine has been extensively used in India for the prevention and management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present report is the second update of a living systematic review and meta-analysis and has been intended to assess the preventive potential and safety of Ayush drugs against COVID-19. Methods: A search of databases such as PubMed, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 database, the clinical trial registry-India, the AYUSH research portal, and preprint repositories was performed till March 1, 2023. Randomized controlled trials or analytical observational studies were included. Incidences of COVID-19 infections and mortality were taken as primary outcome measures; and symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, incidences of hospital admissions, and adverse events were taken as secondary outcomes. The risk of bias was evaluated by version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB-2) and the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Data were synthesized through the RevMan 5.4 tool, and the certainty of the evidence was ranked through the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: Out of 2350 articles, 15 studies were included in the review. The pooled estimate of Guduchi [Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers], Chyawanprasha, and Ayuraksha kit was obtained. Meta-analysis of the data suggested that Guduchi may reduce the incidences of COVID-19 infections (risk ratio [RR]: 0.67 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.48-0.95]) and the symptom development among the infected (RR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.73-1.08]), however, no change was observed in hospital admissions (RR: 0.96 [95% CI: 0.20-4.53]). It is uncertain that Chyawanprasha reduces the incidence of COVID-19 infection (RR: 0.28; [95% CI: 0.07-1.08]). Ayuraksha kit as chemoprophylaxis may reduce the incidences of COVID-19 infections (RR: 0.49; [95% CI: 0.32-0.77]). The certainty of the evidence was low to moderate mainly due to the serious risk of bias. Conclusion: Prophylactic use of Ayush medicines for populations at risk may help to prevent COVID-19 infection by reducing incidence and severity. However, considering the certainty and fewer studies, high-quality studies are still desired to confirm the efficacy and safety of Ayush chemoprophylaxis for COVID-19. Nevertheless, this update will serve as a torchbearer for policymakers, physicians, and other stakeholders for their decision-making through evidence-based medicine.

Updates in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 infection in male reproductive and sexual health: a literature review.

This extensive comprehensive review explores the impact of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on men's sexual and reproductive health. We conducted a literature review focusing on the possible pathophysiology by which severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects men's sexual and reproductive systems. We reviewed most of the studies that reported the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the Testicular, Epididymal, Prostatic, and Penile tissue. Also, we focused on evaluating the SARS-CoV-2 infection on semen parameters and male reproductive hormones. Finally, we reviewed the COVID-19 vaccine's effect on male reproductive and sexual health. Findings revealed the adverse consequences of SARS-CoV-2 at cellular and organ levels on the male genital tract. However, the reported data are still controversial. The initial data regarding COVID-19 vaccination was promising promoted safety for men's reproductive and sexual health. We conclude this paper by offering recommendations to address these adverse consequences and potentially improve sexual and reproductive health among men in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

Occupational exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 in wastewater and its implications in the gulf region

ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2(SARS-CoV-2) that affects the respiratory system and causes varying symptoms including fever and cough. Throughout the current COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have confirmed that raw wastewater may contain the SARS-CoV-2 genome as the virus is shed from excreta of infected individuals. This review examined the literature from 2020 to 2023 on occupational health, safety, wastewater, and SARS-CoV-2, excluding clinical aspects. Relevant publications from previous epidemics (SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) were also considered. Quantitative microbial risk assessments have been used previously and in the current pandemic to assess the risk of inhaling aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 generated during the wastewater treatment processes. Meanwhile, water-based epidemiology (WBE) has been effective in identifying and tracking high incidence hotspots as well as mitigating the spread of the disease. Inefficient processes in wastewater treatment plants may be a source of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to workers employed at such plants as well as to personnel handling treated wastewater for reuse purposes such as irrigation and recreation, more so in the gulf countries owing to the extreme limitation of freshwater in this region; thus, exploring the implications of SARS-CoV-2 genome in wastewater to safeguard occupational and public health is crucial. WBE can assist in the pandemic prevention and control measures by investigating SARS-CoV-2 virus survival and transmission through the wastewater treatment and effective control measures. This review presents an overview of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater aerosols and elucidates its implications, while recommending preventive and mitigation measures.

Profile and Predictors of Psychological Manifestations of COVID-19 among Adults in Selected Communities of Southwest Nigeria

Background: The Corona Virus Disease-2019 caused by the virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus - 2 resulted in a global public health problem. Various strategies and interventions were implemented to contain the spread around the world. Despite this, the pandemic persisted with fear and anxiety leading to worsening psychological state. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the profile and predictors of psychological manifestations of COVID-19 among adults in Ekiti State, Nigeria.
 Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select adults aged 18 years and above. A pre-tested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23 was used for data analysis and spatial mapping. Level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
 Results: More than a tenth (15.3%) of the respondents had experienced severe psychological manifestations due to COVID-19. Younger age (p<0.001), higher level of education (p<0.001), higher monthly income (p=0.013), smaller household size (p=0.001), working in the hospital environment (p=0.001), and rural residence (p=0.005) were significantly associated with psychological manifestations due to COVID-19. Younger age (p=0.030), tertiary education (p=0.020), rural location (p<0.001) and working in the hospital environment (p=0.021) were significant predictors of severe psychological manifestations due to COVID-19.
 Conclusion: Psychological manifestations due to COVID-19 was high among the study population and this cuts across socio-demographic and socio-economic groups. Awareness campaigns by the Ekiti State government and other relevant stakeholders could help to reduce this in the population

A critical review of personal protective equipments in relation to pandemics

PurposePersonal Protective Equipment plays an inevitable part in the current scenario of pandemics in the world. A novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus-2 (SARS-Cov 2), began as an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019, and quickly spread worldwide. It quickly escalated into an international public health crisis. This opened up the high demand for the innovation and research of new materials in the Personal Protective Equipment industry.Design/methodology/approachPubMed, Embase and Google Scholar were searched for relevant literature regarding personal protective equipment and the information was organized in a systematic way.FindingsThere are no adequate number of studies taken up in the field of use of textiles in medical applications especially with PPEs.Research limitations/implicationsThis structured review will generate a sense of the significance of using PPE for controlling pandemics and also awaken need for additional research and innovations in this area.Practical implicationsThe authorities of the management should take timely intervention in choosing the right material for their PPE in their hospitals. Hence health care professionals teams have an inevitable role in preventing the adverse environmental impact due to the inadvertent disposal of PPEs.Social implicationsThere is a lack of systematic way of disposing contaminated single-use face masks in a safe, environmentally acceptable manner. The dumping of single-use PPE in domestic garbage has had an adverse effect on the environment. Mismanaged plastic waste endangers the health of ecosystems by polluting marine and terrestrial environments, posing a significant risk of ingestion or injury to animals and contaminating habitats.Originality/valueThis review article provides an in-depth review of the use of different materials in PPE and challenges regarding its long-term use and implications on the environment.

The Role of Saliva in Examining for SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 (Corona Virus Infection Disease-19), an infectious disease (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2)virus which was first confirmed on December 2, Wuhan, China, in 2019 and very quickly world-wide. World Health Organization (WHO) declared it on March 11th, 2020,fever, cough, and breathing difficulties are all common symptoms. The gold standard for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection is the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR)by detecting viral RNA using nasopharyngeal swabs and other respiratory specimens. However, this process necessitates the use of specialist medical staff, centralized laboratory facilities, and a lengthy period of time for results to be obtained. Besides that, the possibility of virus transmission is not negligiblefor procedure's operator. Due to this reason, several investigations have shown that other bodily fluids, like as saliva, could be used to identify SARS-CoV-2. Saliva is used as a diagnostic sample has many advantages: it is easy to collect samples by the patient themselves with a fairly comfortable procedure, does not require health personnel with special expertise to manage it, and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to the operator. Currently, there are several alternative tests for SARS-CoV-2 which have simpler and more efficient procedures, such as antigen based rapid diagnostic tests, antibody based rapid diagnostics, and RT LAMP tests. This examination is suitable for screening and mass examination, but cannot be used as a primary diagnostic tool because the sensitivity and specificity are not as high as rRT-PCR.

Baseline Characteristics And Outcome Of Covid-19 Patients In Bangladesh

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is the disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease was declared as a pandemic by WHO in a press release on 11 February 2020. The virus was confirmed to have spread to Bangladesh in March 2020. To combat this pandemic disease, baseline characteristics of the COVID-19 patients are essential to be identified in the context of Bangladesh.
 Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 1016 COVID-19 patients diagnosed by Reversed Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay at the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) laboratory. The study was conducted during the period from March to June 2020, Data were collected form the participants, who were selected conveniently and were interviewed by using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire over telephone.
 Results: The study revealed that among 1016 respondents, 64.1% were male and the rest 35.9% were female. Almost half of the respondents (46.5%) were aged 19-39 years. Among the respondents, 72.6% were married and 39.6% were graduated and above. More than two-thirds (69.3%) of the respondents lived in urban area and 72.7% were from nuclear family. On the fourteenth (14th) day or onwards of being positive, RT–PCR Test-1 found 12.5% positive and on twenty-eighth (28th) day or onwards RT–PCR Test-2 found positive only 3.3%. On the other hand, RT–PCR Test-1 was not done by 11.6% and RT–PCR Test-2 by 41.8%. While on the fourteenth (14th) day or onwards of being positive, 62.1% patients were continuing treatment and on the twenty-eighth (28th) day or onwards only 3.5% patients were continuing treatment due to covid related complications.
 Conclusion: Baseline characteristics, severity and outcomes of sequentially tested patients with confirmed COVID-19 positive cases in Bangladesh. Such information should be disseminated across the country to raise awareness and initiate necessary measures by the policy makers to prevent spread of corona virus in Bangladesh.
 JOPSOM 2021; 41(2):36-42

In-silico evaluation of natural alkaloids against the main protease and spike glycoprotein as potential therapeutic agents for SARS-CoV-2.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in global fatalities since late December 2019. Alkaloids play a significant role in drug design for various antiviral diseases, which makes them viable candidates for treating COVID-19. To identify potential antiviral agents, 102 known alkaloids were subjected to docking studies against the two key targets of SARS-CoV-2, namely the spike glycoprotein and main protease. The spike glycoprotein is vital for mediating viral entry into host cells, and main protease plays a crucial role in viral replication; therefore, they serve as compelling targets for therapeutic intervention in combating the disease. From the selection of alkaloids, the top 6 dual inhibitory compounds, namely liensinine, neferine, isoliensinine, fangchinoline, emetine, and acrimarine F, emerged as lead compounds with favorable docked scores. Interestingly, most of them shared the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid framework and belong to Nelumbo nucifera, commonly known as the lotus plant. Docking analysis was conducted by considering the key active site residues of the selected proteins. The stability of the top three ligands with the receptor proteins was further validated through dynamic simulation analysis. The leads underwent ADMET profiling, bioactivity score analysis, and evaluation of drug-likeness and physicochemical properties. Neferine demonstrated a particularly strong affinity for binding, with a docking score of -7.5025 kcal/mol for main protease and -10.0245 kcal/mol for spike glycoprotein, and therefore a strong interaction with both target proteins. Of the lead alkaloids, emetine and fangchinoline demonstrated the lowest toxicity and high LD50 values. These top alkaloids, may support the body's defense and reduce the symptoms by their numerous biological potentials, even though some properties naturally point to their direct antiviral nature. These findings demonstrate the promising anti-COVID-19 properties of the six selected alkaloids, making them potential candidates for drug design. This study will be beneficial in effective drug discovery and design against COVID-19 with negligible side effects.

Assessment of Peripheral Perfusion in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (Sars-Cov-2) Infection: An Exploratory Analysis with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Assessment of Peripheral Perfusion in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (Sars-Cov-2) Infection: An Exploratory Analysis with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy